BACKGROUND AND PANEL ASSIGNMENT

While the name Applied Innovation Corridor extends from Uptown and South End to UNC Charlotte, the study area the panel was asked to evaluate is north of Uptown in an area centered on Graham Street and N. Tryon Street. It is bounded by I-85 on the north, 77 on the west, 277 on the south and the Little Sugar Creek Greenway and NODA on the east. The panel was asked to specifically focus on the feasibility of the innovation aspect within this North End corridor that could be a catalyst for new land uses and neighborhood revitalization as well as the appropriate types of supporting uses and development to realize the area’s new vision. And we would add that as this area seeks to be known for innovation, to be so, the vision must be replicable at an economical cost and must satisfy a specific need.

The sponsor asked a series of strategic questions including:

1. Assess the feasibility of the “innovation corridor” concept being used as a land development and neighborhood revitalization strategy? There are a number of emerging and successful “innovation corridor/districts” throughout the U.S. and beyond.

How should we focus/apply a Charlotte-based “innovation corridor” strategy based on the successes of other places?

How can we create the environment to attract start-ups and expanding firms in innovative industries?

What types of industries and partnerships should we pursue?

How can private land owners and residents help to foster this theme and encourage the growth/expansion of the concept in this area?

What types of supporting uses and development, including affordable housing (new construction and preservation of existing housing stock) should be pursued and what type of funding mechanisms and/or development incentives should be pursued to facilitate the recommended land use vision?

What types of public amenities will foster a vibrant business and neighborhood environment?

Are there specific catalyst sites best suited to facilitate this environment?

What types of public investment will best catalyze private investment?

The public purpose of the innovation corridor initiative is to provide just the right amount of leadership and infrastructure necessary to encourage job growth and private investment. The City has identified some initial public projects focused in this corridor as part of our Community Investment Plan and asked the following:

Are these the right investments?

What should come first?

Are there additional investments we should consider?

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS

The panel’s recommendations included the following:

Expand the street network and conceptional structure from Uptown to the North End

Revitalize the existing AmTrak Station to become the anchor of a new mixed-use retail center and to connect with the light rail extension

Recognize potential clusters in the creative, food and high tech sectors along with future retail demand that will be created

Develop strategies for a collaborative knowledge center
get improvements to accomplish on-time performance.

Focus on human capital and ensure that the benefits of development extend to everyone in the North End

Establish a new Redevelopment Corporation that can independently expedite zoning and development approvals, leverage public and private investment, foster high level strategic collaborations, establish land banking that leads to catalytic development, develop a land bank, and promote the holistic redevelopment of the North End area

Achieve progress through constant and consistent civic engagement. A deliberately designed, ongoing public participation program with the neighbors, the businesses, other key stakeholders and the community-at-large should be developed with responsibility for regular communication through all means available, monitoring of advancement toward the Sponsor’s goals, as well as planning celebrations around wins, both small and large

One comment on “Advisory Services Panel—North End, Charlotte, North Carolina”

I am a homeowner in Lockwood and though this neighborhood has had its struggles, and come a long way… it still has a long way to go. I have been busy and in contact with many resources that have high hopes and high interest in the potential of Lockwood. These resources include realtors, builders, contractors, and most importantly buyers!

As homeowners, we have an investment. Money literally sitting in the soil here in Lockwood. WE are the ones who can communicate and bring life here by spreading the word, answering questions, asking questions and challenging the bias that involve our own investment. However, we need help other than word of mouth.

Lockwood is a prime location.. with tree lined streets.. and adorable bungalows/craftsman homes… but we also know that Lockwood still has a ways to go in order to rid the streets of crime, foot traffic, lawn parking, leaky roofs, weed full gutters and in order to make the turn to compete with the thriving neighborhoods that surround us… true communities. You might ask, how do we get there? Well.. together we still have to continually call 311 and 911 on run down homes and for any suspicious activity and this will always be something for a long while on all of our To Do Lists. But another way to make the turn is to increase our homeownership and allow the redevelopment to happen. Homeowners take pride in their home, in their investment, mow the grass, fix up their flower boxes, hang holiday decorations etc.

There have been builders out there that are interested in us, however there are people in the neighborhood who are single handedly buying up what they can and turning them into rentals! What I am finding is that builders and contractors have been getting out bid by these ‘buyers’ which is having a negative affect on the neighborhood because it shows from a market stand point that homes that ‘cant be sold’ become rentals. As a neighborhood this is the last thing we need. Currently we have 173 homes and 113 of them are rentals, 60 are homeowners with over 20 property management companies and individuals contributing to this high rent ratio. Also, a common theme is that ‘they don’t want to take the risk in Lockwood because the housing average price is too low for them to invest here’. This is truly unfortunate for us because that is a deterrent from those who have the money in their pockets to buy here, stay here and grow here. If the city is trying to transform the North End Corridor, and Lockwood is the first neighborhood directly north of uptown… this NEEDS to be a major focus. Its more than just creating a strong neighborhood association thought we are working on that.

We need people here to help transform because those are the people who see the potential and want to be a part of owning an adorable home so close to the city and/or helping transform the 2 mile radius. The homeowners that are new to Lockwood moved here for the potential and for the future of the area. However, we are hoping that Lockwood is attended to more closely due to the lack of pride, high rental ratio, community appearance as far as renal homes/commercial properties and crime rates.